Boarding machines



July 15, 1969 E. H. REHG BOARDING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 27, 1966 INVENTOR ELMER H. REHG ATTORNEY E. H. REHG BOARDING MACHINES July 15, 1969 4 Sheets$heet 2 Filed June 27, 1966 INVENTOR ELMER H. REHG BYQ 0. Om] mO NO;

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ATTORNEY July 15, 3969 E... H. REHG BOARDING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 27 256 I30 Filed June 2'7, 1966 Lllllilllllli 39 ZIO 23Il2l 214 256 261 9 263 FIG.7

INVENTOR ELMER H. REHG ATTORNEY July 15, 1969 E. H. REHG 3,455,083

BOARDING MACHINES Filed June 27, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 3,455,083 BOARDING MACHINES Elmer H. Rehg, St. Louis, Mo., assignor, by direct and mesne assignments, to Dohm & Nelke, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed June 27, 1966, Ser. No. 560,674 Int. Cl. B65b 57/12, 35/30, 35/50 U.S. Cl. 5374 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The disclosure relates to a machine for insertion into a production line which includes a continuing supply of items moving along said line in spaced separation from each other, which machine accepts each of said items, places each item on a backing sheet in preselected registration with respect thereto, and returns each item on the backing sheet to the production line.

This invention relates to conveyor machines.

In the packaging of bacon, bacon is conventionally conveyed along conveyor belts in drafts along shingling conveyors where the individual drafts are manually placed upon bacon boards. After the drafts are boarded, the boarded drafts are manually replaced on the conveyor belt and moved in the packaging machines for weighing and packaging. This manual operation prevents the packaging process from being completely automated.

It is the object of this invention to provide a device which will automatically provide each draft of bacon with a properly registered board in the conveyor belt line and which will position the bacon properly on such board.

With the above and other objects in view, which will become immediately apparent on reading this specification, my invention resides in the unique and novel form, arrangement, combination and structure of the various parts described in the specification and claimed in the claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 presents a top plan view of my invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken along lines 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURES 3, 4 and are sectional views taken along lines 33, 44 and 55 respectively, of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken along lines 6-6 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURES 7 and 8 are enlarged sectional views taken along lines 77 and 88 respectively of FIGURE 5.

Referring now in more detail, and by reference character to the drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention, A represents a machine which accepts drafts of bacon from a slicer (not shown) and conveys the drafts of bacon down an assembly line toward a packaging unit (also not shown), and which comprises a base 30 which resembles the superstructure of a table and includes four adjustable legs 31, 32, 33, 34; a pair of elongated upper channels 35, 36; a pair of upper end channels 37, 38; a pair of elongated lower channels 39, 40; and a pair of lower end channels 41, 42.

Mounted on the upper channels 35, 36 in aligned pairs respectively are upwardly projecting paired brackets 43, 44; 45, 46; 47, 48; and 49, 50. Journaled between the brackets 43, 44, is a shaft 51 on which are secured spaced sprocket wheels 52, 53. loumaled between the brackets 45, 46, are a pair of spaced shafts 54, 55, the axis of shaft 55 being slightly higher in elevation than the sahft 54. Secured to the shaft 54 is a pair of spaced sprocket wheels 56, 57, which are in respective alignment with the wheels 52, 53. Secured to the shaft 55 is a singular sprocket nited States Patent 0 "ice Wheel 58 and a sleeve 59 having a plurality of spaced diametrally reduced annular recesses 60.

Journaled between the brackets 47, 48, are a pair of parallel shafts 61, 62, each respectively provided with a secured sleeve 63, 64, having a plurality of diametrally reduced annular recesses 65, 66, respectively. Like the shaft 55, the shaft 62 is also provided with a secured sprocket wheel 67.

Journaled between the brackets 49, 50, at a slight cant to the longitudinal axis of the base 28 is an enlarged drum 68 provided with a plurality of annular recesses 69 and also provided with. a plurality of radially extending spikes 70.

Mounted on the channels 35, 36 and extending therebetween beneath the brackets 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49 and 50 are three separated rods "71, 72, 73. Pivotally mounted on the rod 71 and extending outwardly therefrom is a pair of spaced linkage arms 74, 75, on the end of each of which are respectively provided rotatable sprocket wheels 76, 77. The linkage arms 74, 75, are respectively biased by hairpin springs 78, 79.

Pivotally mounted on the rod 72 and extending outwardly therefrom is a plurality of identical arms on the end of each of which is rotatably mounted a pulley wheel 81. Each arm 80 is biased outwardly by a hairpin spring 82. Pivotally mounted about the rod 73 and extending radially outwardly therefrom is a plurality of arms 83 on the end of each of which is rotatably mounted a pulley wheel 84. Each arm 83 is biased outwardly by a hairpin spring 85.

Each annular recess 60 of the sleeve 59 is in alignment with an annular recess 65 of the sleeve 63 and one of the pulley wheels 81, and disposed in each aligned set of annular recesses 60, 63, and wheels 81 is an endless band 86 which is kept taut by the biasing force provided by the hairpin springs 82.

Similarly each annular recess 66 of the sleeve 65 is in alignment with an annular recess 69 of the drum 68 and a pulley wheel 84, and similarly disposed in each aligned set of recesses 66, 69 and pulley wheel 84 is an endless band 87 which is kept taut by the biasing force provided by the hairpin spring 85.

Mounted on the upper channel 35 and projecting upwardly therefrom adjacent the bands 86 is a pair of spaced posts 91, 92, between which is secured a horizontal bar 93. Mounted on the upper channel 36 adjacent the bands 86 is a corresponding pair of posts 94, 95, between which is secured a second horizontal bar 96. Slidably mounted over the bands 86 on the bars 93, 96, is a channel 97 on which is mounted a limit switch 98 having a depending triggering arm 99 which extends downwardly between adjacent bands 86 for purposes presently more fully to appear. The channel 97 may be secured in any preselected position over the bands 86 by lock screws S.

Secured to the base 28 between the lower channels 39, 40, and extending therebetween are members 101, 102, 103, 104, and 106. Attached to the members 101, 102, is a plate 107, on which is mounted an electric motor 108 which is connected to a source of electrical power (not shown) and which drives a shaft 109 to which is secured two spaced sprocket wheels 110, 111. Disposed about the sprocket wheel .110" and the sprocket wheel 58 is an endless bicycle chain 112 which rotates the sleeve 59 and the bands 86 when the motor 108 is operating.

Similarly mounted on the members 105, 106 is a plate 113 on which is secured a second electric motor 114 which drives a shaft 115 to which is attached a sprocket wheel 116. Disposed about the sprocket wheel 116 and the sprocket wheel 67 is a bicycle chain 117 which drives the sleeve 64 and the bands 87 when the motor 114 is operating.

Removably secured to the channels 39, 40, respectively are bearings 121, 122, through which is journaled a shaft 123 to which are attached two sprocket wheels 124, 125, and the driven part 126 of a clutch 127 which is operated by a solenoid 128 which is electrically connected to a source of electrical power and the limit switch 98. The clutch 127 is a conventional Hilliard type clutch adapted to engage the driven part 126 with a driving part 128 upon actuation of the solenoid and to retain the parts 126, 128 in engagement for one complete rotation of the shaft 123 after the solenoid 128 has been actuated. Attached to the driven part 128 of the clutch 127 is a sleeve 129 which is disposed about the shaft 123 for independent rotation with respect thereto. Secured to the sleeve 129 is a sprocket wheel 130 in intermeshed engagement with an endless bicycle type chain 131 which is also disposed about the sprocket wheel 110-.

It should be here noted that the sprocket wheels 52, 56, 76 and 124 all lie in one vertical plane. It should be also noted that similarly the sprocket wheels 53, 57, 77 and 125 lie in a second vertical plane which is spaced from and parallel to the first vertical plane mentioned in this paragraph.

Disposed about the sprocket wheels 52, 56, 76, 124 is an endless bicycle chain 141 provided on its outer edge with a plurality of equally spaced outwardly extending posts 142. Similarly disposed about the sprocket wheels 53, 57, 77 and 125 is a second endless bicycle chain 143 also provided with the same number of equally outwardly extending posts 144 which are in registration with the posts 142.

Referring now to FIGURE 4, welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the member 104 and extending upwardly therefrom is a pair of spaced scate guide supports 151, 152, which are secured to each other at their upper ends by a cross-member 153 and intermediately by a crossbar 154.

The supports 151, 152, are also respectively provided with upper slotted brackets 155, 156; lower slotted brackets 157, 158; pair support brackets 159, 160; and intermediate elongated slots 161, 162.

Adjustably mounted on the slotted brackets 155, 157 is an elongated scate guide 163 comprising a U-shaped channel open on its lower end 164. Similarly mounted on the slotted brackets 156, 158 is a second elongated scate guide 165 comprising a U-shaped channel open on its lower end 166. Secured to the cross-member 153 and the crossbar 154 and extending upwardly between the chains 141, 143 and the bands 86 is a center guide 167 of substantial width which is provided at its upper end with an upper curved portion 168 which curves over the chains 141, 143 about the axis of the shaft 54 and which is provided at its lower end with a curved portion 169 which curves downwardly and outwardly away from the chains 141, 143.

Secured to the member 104 and extending upwardly therefrom is a ledge guide 170 comprising a pair of upwardly diverging plates 171, 172, which form a V adjacent the chains 141, 143, at the base of the scate guides 163, 165, for purposes to appear.

Adjustably mounted in the elongated slots 161, 162, is an elongated blower support bar 173 to which a blower tube 174 is attached. The blower tube 174 is attached to a source of air (not shown) and directs a continuous stream of air toward the chairs 141, 143.

Bolted or otherwise rigidly secured to the member 103 is a bracket 180, and secured to the bracket 180 and projecting outwardly therefrom toward the scate guides 163, 165, is a pair of air operated cylinders 181, 191. The cylinder 181 includes an extend port 182; a retract port 183; a piston 184 slidably mounted within the cylinder 181 for movement between the ports 182, 183; and a piston rod 185 secured to the piston 184 and projecting outwardly from the cylinder 181 into secured engagement with a vacuum manifold bar 186. Similarly, the cylinder 191 includes an extend port 192; a retract port 193; a piston 194 slidably mounted within the cylinder 191; and a piston rod 195 which is secured to the piston 194 and projects outwardly from the cylinder 191 into secured engagement with the bar 186.

The vacuum manifold bar 186 includes a centrally located hose attachment nipple 200, an inner chamber 201, and a pair of spaced outlet ports 202, 203, to which are attached suction cups 204, 205, respectively.

Operation of the cylinders 181, 191, is synchronized with the rotation of the shaft 123 by a cam 210 which coacts with a roller 211 on the end of a rod 212 driven by a piston 213 of a valve 214 mounted on a bracket 215 which is bolted or otherwise rigidly secured to the member 104 as best seen in FIGURE 7. The valve 214 includes an air inlet port 216; a pair of spaced outlet ports 217, 218; and a pair of bleed outlets 219, 220. The piston 213 has dual heads 221, 222, and a spring 223 is used to bias the roller 211 against the cam 210. The inlet port 216 is connected to an air supply source (not shown); the outlet port 217 is connected to the extend port 182 of the cylinder 181 and the extend port 192 of the cylinder 191; the outlet port 218 is connected to the retract port 193 of the cylinder 191. The bleed outlet 219 is located at the top of the valve 214 to permit the extend air to bleed when the inlet port 216 is coupled to the outlet port 218, and the bleed outlet 220 is located at the base of the valve 214 to permit the air from the retract side of the cylinders 181, 191, to bleed when the inlet port 216 is supplying air directly to the outlet port 217. The cam 210 establishes a direct coupling between the inlet port 216 and the outlet port 218, except for a slight period during each rotation of the shaft 123 at which time the inlet port 216 is directly coupled to the outlet port 217.

Referring to FIGURE 8, operation of vacuum manlfold is controlled by a cam 230 which is secured to the shaft 123 for rotation therewith. Mounted on the support 151 for cooperation with the earn 230 is a valve 231 which includes an inlet port 232 connected to a vacuum pump (not shown), an outlet port 233 connected to the nipple 200, a chamber 234, a piston 235 movably mounted within the chamber 234, a piston rod 236 which has a roller 237 on its end and which extends outwardly of the chamber 234, and a biasing spring 238 for biasing the roller 237 against the cam 230. The valve 231 is held in the closed position during most of the rotation of the shaft 123, and is opened only when the roller 237 moves radially inwardly on the cam 230, which said opening connects the vacuum pump directly to the vacuum manifold bar 186.

Welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the channels 35, 39, and extending therebetween is an upright 251, and similarly rigidly secured to the channels 36, 40, in alignment with the upright 251 is a second upright 252. A cross-member 253 extends between the uprights 251, 252. Secured to the channels 39, 40, adjacent the uprights 251, 252, respectively, are substantially shorter uprights 255, 256, which are joined together by a second cross-member 257. Secured to the cross-member 253, 257 is a flat plate 258 provided with lateral slots 259, 260 which adapted to receive adjusting screws 261, 262, each of which respectively hold in place a board guide 263, 264. On their forward ends, the board guides 263, 264, are respectively provided with lower stops 265, 266, and upper stops 267, 268, each of which are adjustably mounted in lateral alignment with each other in their respective guides 263 264.

Disposed between the guides 263, 264 on the plate 258 is a movable weight 270 comprising a pair of heavy end panels 271, 272, on each of which are respectively mounted rollers R and which said panels are joined by heavy face panels 273, 274. When boards 300 are placed between the board guides 263, 264 and the weight 270 is placed on the plate 258 behind the boards 300, the weight 270 urges the boards against the board stops 265, 266,

267 and 268 with a constant force, independently of the amount of boards being used.

In use the electric motors 108 and 114 are in continuous operation causing the sprocket wheel 110 to be continuously driving the bands 86 through the sprocket wheel 58, the sprocket wheel 111 to be continuously driving the sleeve 129 about the shaft 123 through the sprocket wheel 130, and the sprocket wheel 116 to drive the bands 87 through the sprocket wheel 116. The motor speeds and sprocket wheel gear relationships are preselected to cause the bands 87 to move substantially more slowly than the bands 86. The drum 68 is placed in a bacon slicing assembly line at a position where it will receive slices of bacon directly from the bacon slicer (not shown) and collect the individual slices in drafts D for movement along the bands 87 which are referred to in the art as a shingling conveyor C. Conventionally, the drafts D are separated only slightly from the immediately preceding draft D while on the slow moving shingling conveyor C. As the drafts D move off of the bands 87 onto the separator E which comprises the faster moving bands 86, the physical separation between drafts D is increased due to the period of time when the two adjacent drafts D are moved along the continuously moving bands 86, they on conveyors of different speeds. As the drafts D are moved along the continuously moving bands 86', they pass beneath the channel 97 and actuate the triggering arm 99 of the limit switch 98, which in turn causes actuation of the solenoid 128. Actuation of the solenoid 128 engages the Hilliard clutch 127 and causes the shaft 123 to make one complete revolution. During the one revolution of the shaft 123, the sprocket wheels 124 and 125 drive the chains 141, 143 a predetermined distance during which time a pair of aligned posts 142 and 144 pass the ledge guide 170; pick up the board 300 seated in the V thereof, move the board 300 into the adjacent scate guides 163, 165, and move the board 300 upward toward the juncture of the bands 86 and the chains 141, 143. As the shaft 123 continues to rotate, the valves 214 and 231 are actuated causing the vacuum manifold bar 186 to move outwardly over the ledge 170 and the suction cups 204, 205 to attach themselves to the next board 300 disposed against the stops 265, 266, 267 and 268, and to pull the said next board 300 past the stops 265, 266, 267 and 268, and onto the ledge 170 as the retract position is re-engaged for the valve 214 and the manifold bar 186 is urged back toward the chains 141, 142. Continued movement of the cam 230 causes the suction cups to release the board 300 in the V of the ledge 170. The blower tube 174 then directs air against the board 300 in the V and holds the board 300 snugly against the chains 141, 143 awaiting the next triggered revolution of the shaft 123. The channel 97 may be positioned on the bars 93, 96, so that each draft D will be centered on each board 300 as the draft D passes over the sleeve 59 and the curved upper portion 168 of the center guide 167 and onto the board 300 which has been moved off the scate guides 163, 165 from the ledge guide 170. The registered draft D is then moved on the board 300 on the chains 141, 143, over the sprocket wheels 52, 53 and onto the next stage of the assembly line for weighing and packaging.

It should be understood that changes, modifications and alterations may be made and substituted for the various features of form, construction, arrangement and combination of parts of my invention herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is set forth in the following claims:

1. A registering machine comprising a first moving conveyor including first band means for supporting a product moving along the first conveyor at a first rate of speed, a second moving conveyor including second band means for receiving the product from the first conveyor and moving the product along the second conveyor at a second rate of speed which is faster than the first rate of speed, triggering means for supplying an actuating signal when the product reaches a preselected point on the second conveyor, a third conveyor including sheet supply means for selecting a flexible sheet from a stack means, placing the sheet on the conveyor, retaining the sheet on the conveyor, and thereafter moving the sheet upwardly in the same direction that the product is moving into registration with the product as the product passes off of the end of the second conveyor, and onto the sheet, said third conveyor being normally non-operating and including control means for moving the third conveyor a predetermined distance upon receipt of the actuating signal from the triggering means, and suppport means for moving the registered card and product to the end of the third conveyor, said sheet supply means including a pair of spaced endless chains each including a plurality of regularly spaced, outwardly projecting posts, said chains each being in linear alignment with the first and second conveyors, and said stack means including an inclined plate, a pair of lateral guides adjustably mounted on said plate on opposing sides thereof, a pair of vertically spaced stops mounted on each lateral guide, a plurality of sheets vertically stacked on end on the plate between the lateral guides, and roller means for urging the stack of sheets against the stops with a uniform force.

2. The machine of claim 1 in which the sheet supply means also includes a vacuum operated manifold bar which includes at least one vacuum cup, and a sheet selector means operative upon response to actuation of the triggering means for extending the manifold bar through the spaced chains, urging the vacuum cup against the sheet proximate the stops, applying vacuum pressure to the sheet through the cup, retracting the manifold bar while the vacuum pressure exists between the cup and the sheet whereby to pull the selected sheet past the stops, and thereafter releasing the sheet on a ledge guide immediately adjacent the chains.

3. The machine of claim 1 in which the sheet supply means also includes a vacuum operated manifold bar which includes at least one vacuum cup, and a sheet selector means operative upon response to actuation of the triggering means for extending the manifold bar through the spaced chains, urging the vacuum cup against the sheet proximate the stops, applying vacuum pressure to the sheet through the cup, retracting the manifold bar while the vacuum pressure exists between the cup and the sheet whereby to pull the selected sheet past the stops, and thereafter releasing the sheet on a ledge guide immediately adjacent the chains, and a continuously operating blower which directs a stream of air at the top of the sheet deposited in the ledge guide and urges the top of the sheet against the chains, said ledge guide being located immediately adjacent the chains and including means for retaining the base of the sheet close enough to the chains so that the outwardly projecting posts will pick up the sheet and transport the same upon movement of the chain.

4. A registering machine comprising a base, first conveyor means including a plurality of continuously moving first endless bands at one end of said base along the upper margin thereof, second conveyor means also including a plurality of continuously moving second endless bands mounted on the base adjacent said first conveyor means, the speed of the first bands being substantially less than the speed of the second bands, the first endless bands spanning the area from one end of the base to the second endless bands and the second endless bands starting adjacent the first conveyor means and spanning the area in the upper center of the base, each set of bands being adapted for supporting a product during transport thereof, a sheet container having adjustable lateral guides mounted on the base directly beneath the second bands and a base plate which is inclined, a plurality of flexible sheets disposed in said sheet container, adjustable stop means provided in said sheet container for limiting the downward movement of the group of flexible sheets, weighted means for urging the sheets against the stop means with a substantially constant force, third conveyor means including a pair of spaced endless chains each provided with a plurality of spaced outwardly projecting posts, said chains each being mounted on said base on sprocket wheels and each being routed'from a point adjacent the stop means upwardly to the other end of the second conveyor means and thereafter spanning the gap between the said other end of the base and the second endless bands, a ledge support mounted on the base between the chains and the sheet container and including a depression shaped for holding one end of one of the sheets, said ledge support being located sufficiently close to the chains to permit the posts to come into positive contact with the sheet when it is disposed in the ledge support, blower means for urging the top of the sheet in the ledge support against the chains, guide means for retaining the sheet in position on the chains as the sheet is moved upwardly from the ledge support to the juncture of the second and third conveyor means, drive means for moving the chains and the sheets a predetermined distance upon receipt of an actuating signal, select means for selecting a sheet from the sheet container and depositing said sheet on the ledge support after the posts have removed the preceding sheet from the ledge support, and triggering means for supplying an actuating signal to the drive means when the product reaches a predetermined point on the second conveyor means.

5. The machine of claim 4 in which the guide means includes a pair of adjustably spaced scate guides mounted on the base on opposing sides of each of the chains between the ledge guide and the end of the second conveyor means, each scate guide comprising a narrow U-shaped channel inwardly presented to the chains and adapted for accepting and retaining one lateral margin of each sheet as it is raised from the ledge guide to the top of the third conveyor means by the posts.

6. The machine of claim 4 in which the guide means includes a flat center guide curved on its lower end to direct and retain the center of each sheet against the chains as each sheet is raised from the ledge guide.

7. The machine of claim 4 in which the guide means includes a flat center guide curved on its lower end to direct and retain the center of each sheet against the chains as each sheet is raised from the ledge guide, and said center guide is also curved at the top whereby to cause the sheets to remain in continuous contact with the chains at the juncture of the second and third conveyor means.

8. The machine of claim 4 in which the drive means includes a shaft rotatably mounted on the base, a sprocket fixed to said shaft, normally disengaged clutch means coupled to the shaft and to a continuously operating source of driving power, solenoid means for engaging the clutch and retaining the clutch engaged for one complete revolution of the shaft, and means for automatically disengaging the clutch and deactivating the solenoid means after said one revolution.

9. The machine of claim 4 in which the drive means includes a shaft rotatably mounted on the base, a sprocket fixed to said shaft, normally disengaged clutch means coupled to the shaft and to a continuously operating source of driving power, solenoid means for engaging the clutch retaining the clutch engaged for one complete revolution of the shaft, and means for automatically disengaging the clutch and deactivating the solenoid means after said one revolution, and the selected means includes a first valve mounted on the base and supplied with air under pressure,

first cam means connected to the shaft and to the valve, a cylinder having a pair of spaced ports and a piston movably mounted in a chamber between said ports, a rod attached to the piston and extending outwardly from the cylinder, said first cam means and first valve being adjustably set so that when the shaft is in the position it would normally be in when the posts have lifted the sheet from the ledge guide into the guide means, air will be supplied from the first valve to the port and the piston rod will be urged outwardly, and that when the piston rod has been extended fully outwardly, air will be directed to the other port forcing the piston rod back.

10. The machine of claim 4- in which the drive means includes a shaft rotatably mounted on the base, a sprocket fixed to said shaft, normally disengaged clutch means coupled to the shaft and to a continuously Operating source of driving power, solenoid means for engaging the clutch and retaining the clutch engaged for one complete revolution of the shaft, and means for automatically disengaging the clutch and deactivating the solenoid means after said one revolution, and the select means includes a first valve mounted on the base and supplied with air under pressure, first cam means connected to the shaft and the valve, a cylinder having a pair of spaced ports and a piston movably mounted in a chamber between said ports, a rod attached to the piston and extending outwardly from the cylinder, said first cam means and first valve being adjustably set so that when the shaft is in the position it would normally be in when the posts have lifted the sheet from the ledge guide into the guide means, air will be supplied from the first valve to the port and the piston rod will be urged outwardly, and that when the piston rod has been extended fully outwardly, air will be directed to the other port forcing the piston rod back, and the select means also includes a second valve mounted on the base and connected to a vacuum source, second cam means connected ot the shaft and to the second valve, a vacuum manifold bar mounted on the piston rod and being provided with a vacuum cup directly coupled to the valve and presented to the sheets in the container, said second cam means and cup being located and said second valve being set so that when the rod is fully extended the cup will contact the sheet preesnted to the stop means at which time a vacuum will be created in the cup drawing said sheet past the stop means into the ledge guide, and being further set to cut off the vacuum in the cup as the cup passes between the chains.

11. The machine of claim 4 in which the triggering means comprises a limit switch mounted above the second conveyor means and including a triggering arm which is tripped each time the product passes a predetermined point on said second bands.

12. The machine in claim 4 in which the triggering means comprises a limit switch mounted above the Second conveyor means and including a triggering arm which is tripped each time the product passes a predetermined point on said second bands and means for selectably altering the point on the second bands at which the product trips the triggering arm.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,542,330 2/1951 Henderson et al. 53-160 2,907,152 10/1959 Hensgen et al. 53-74 X TRAVIS S. MCGEHEE, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

